Maddening Max

Chapter 6: Friends

"If there is any skill needed by both persons in a marriage, it is the skill of listening." — John Savage

( Unedited )

Max's POV

I stood frozen on my spot. I just blew it up. I thought she'd appreciate that I let her know I would be late tonight, but that just triggered the bomb.

My wife.

My heart jolted.

When the possessive words escaped my lips, I realized that it made me feel happy, relieved that she was mine. My heart cavorted at the thought that she was my wife. 

And the possessiveness beast within me felt good.

Damningly proud.

And then, I blew it.

Divorce?

The word and the realization that she was determined, if her stern and resolute tone was any indication, stung me.

One thing that I kept forgetting about my wife was that she's not mincing words. She doesn't say something, and she does the other thing. She does precisely whatever her lips uttered.

I frowned, staring at her back, fear creeping into my heart like a snake coiling around it and seizing it, squeezing it, and I felt suffocating. That one word was like a hot ember of fire lodge in my throat, seizing out the oxygen.

And now she was determined to get rid of me?

What have I done?

My legs instantly moved, following her trail in haste, instead to the door and out of here. And then I briefly halted, and winced at the loud thud as she slammed the door shut.

The determination to catch her, talk her out of divorce, and make it up to her had wavered. Suddenly, doubt crawled in my gut.

I should wait.

But then, I would be out of sorts during my friends' celebration, and sure my mind and attention will be circling about her.

I stood in front of the closed door and breathed a deep sigh.

I lifted my hand, softly rapping on the door, staring at it mindlessly. My heart constricted.

"What?" she growled behind it.

I winced at the hardness and hatred laced in her tone. "Please, let's talk," I said, blowing softly an air trying to gather the courage to face her.

"There's nothing to talk about, and you already made it clear. You can do whatever you want, and so I. Hence, don't you worry, you'll be completely free, and I'm out of your life, forever," she spat, clearly still incensed.

I closed my eyes, my jaws clamped trying to tamp down the fury that's growing within me.

I should leave her alone. It's not sensible to talk to her when the fire is still blazing, and I'm angry. I'm just going to stoke it, but then I can't leave her without clearing it, and I'm not going to let her divorce me.

I let out a deep breath and another until I am calm.

"Angelik, you're being insensible now. Our parents will be disappointed," I softly explained, and I waited for her to open the door for a response, but there wasn't a sound behind the door.

"Angel," I called.

No response.

"Please, let's talk," I reiterated, letting out a sigh as I shut my eyes briefly.